Adventure tourism shambles has PM’s fingerprints all over it

The uncertainty faced by businesses and tourists in the adventure tourism industry over safety audits has been created by the Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, John Key, and he needs to fix it, Labour’s Tourism spokesperson Darien Fenton says.

“It was John Key who ordered a review of the risks and safety of adventure tourism operations back in 2010. He promised tourists and families that he intended to make this industry safe.

“The then Minister of Labour, Kate Wilkinson, made a big song and dance about implementing new standards, while current Minister Simon Bridges jumped on the bandwagon to announce that there would be at least three providers doing the audits.

“What we weren’t told was these were not-for profit-organisations and no funding would be made available to assist them to do this important work.

“Two of those providers dropped out, and the remaining one, Outdoors New Zealand, was left to do all the work. It has now been forced to put all audits on hold because of cash flow problems.

“Adventure activity providers are obliged under the Health and Safety (Adventure Activity) regulations to complete a safety audit by November 1, yet no-one seems to know what will happen if it can’t be completed.

“These people have no certainty about forward bookings, or for that matter the survival of their businesses, and users have no certainty that safety standards are being implemented.

“This shambles has the Prime Minister’s fingerprints all over it. He needs to clean it up before our international tourism reputation is seriously affected.”

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